Know, avoid things that turn off home buyers

By Jay McDonald, Bankrate.com |
April 18, 2014

To talk about home buyer turnoffs, we assembled a coast-to-coast team of experts: Chad Goldwasser of Goldwasser Real Estate in Austin; Terry Cannon, buyer's agent and broker with EBA Realty, in Salem, Ore.; and Julie Dana, "home stylist" in East Aurora, N.Y., and co-author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Staging Your Home to Sell.

"The No. 1 biggest mistake is not getting the home in the best possible condition," Goldwasser said. He recommends sellers make an extra effort, from steam-cleaning tile and grout to replacing carpets.

"If the carpets are old and smelly, you should put in new," he said. "If they're relatively new, you should at least have them shampooed."

Various odors

"Odors are a big one, especially kitchen odors," Dana said. "I advise my clients not to cook fried food, fish or greasy food while the house is on the market."

Dana advises her clients to eliminate all traces of pets, not just pet odors. It's important to get rid of pet paraphernalia and have a "pet plan" to make sure the animals are not around when the house is shown.

"A lot of times, people will leave pet items out," Dana said. "That immediately turns off a buyer because they wonder, 'What has that animal done in the house?' Also, some people don't like dogs. The minute they walk in and see this big dog bowl, they immediately won't like the house."

The same rules hold true for smokers: Remove all ashtrays, clean all curtains and upholstery, and consider smoking outdoors while your home is on the market.

Outdated fixtures and appliances

"You need to change out old fixtures in your house," Goldwasser said. "New cabinet hardware and doorknobs will probably cost all of $400 or $500, but it makes a huge difference."

The same holds true for dated ceiling fans, light fixtures and kitchen appliances.

"Homes that have old fans, lights, ovens, microwaves, ranges and dishwashers can really turn a buyer off," Goldwasser said. "Sellers will say, 'Oh, the buyers can take care of that.' Well, yes, they can, but it's going to impede you from getting the highest price possible for your home."

The shag carpet from the 1960s or '70s was replaced long ago.

Acoustic popcorn ceilings, another artifact of that era (and of the '80s, too) might remain. They badly date your space.

If you can't stomach the cost or the mess to remove the overhead popcorn, be prepared to credit a buyer in certain markets in order to close a sale.

Personal items

Buyers are trying on your home to see how it fits, as if it were a pair of shoes. If personal items clutter your home, it's like the buyer is trying on those shoes while you're standing in them. A fit is unlikely.

If you really want to hook a buyer, Dana said: "I try to place a mirror strategically so people can see themselves in the home, living there."

Sellers who hang around the house

Generally speaking, buyers don't like it when sellers greet them at the door, follow them around, eavesdrop and make unsolicited comments.

"It's so annoying," Goldwasser said. "They will want to walk around with the potential buyer and put in their 2 cents' worth. It's not good. Normally, there are 1 out of 10 sellers where it's OK to have them there, and that's because they know what is up with the property and how everything works."

Sellers use photos and words to make their homes enticing on the multiple listing service. But sometimes it paint a false portrait.

"Sellers are going to paint the best picture they can," Cannon said. "Some listings I've looked at and wondered how ithey got that gorgeous photo without showing all the junk around it. When you get there, you wonder why didn't they just be up front?"

Poor curb appeal

Seeing a house for the first time is like meeting a person for the first time: Appearance counts.

That first-glance impression of a house is called curb appeal. "You have to totally trim and edge your yard to get it into the most immaculate condition you can," Goldwasser said.

"It's a big mistake to not freshly mulch the beds and trim the trees," he said.

Clutter

"Your closets should be half full, with nothing on the floor," Dana said. "Why? Because most people looking for a house have outgrown their previous house. Showing them you've still got room to grow gives them a reason to buy."

Kitchens and bookshelves should showcase spaciousness by following the rule of three. For kitchens, no more than three countertop appliances.

The home office should be generic so any type of professional can imagine living there, Dana said.